The picture puzzle is a well-known social diversion. It serves a variety of purposes, for example as a method of teaching children manual dexterity, and as a means for adults to pass idle time. Puzzles, however, have long been enjoyed as a process rather than a product. That is, one may enjoy the task of working a puzzle, and this enjoyment may last a relatively long time, depending upon the difficulty of the puzzle. On the other hand, enjoyment of the completed puzzle is usually quite limited, since the puzzle must be left where completed, as any movement will likely lead to disassembly.
Various approaches have been taken toward making the completed puzzle more permanent. In one design, a transparent base and cover are hinged to close about a puzzle whose pieces are outsized and compressable. The resulting tension holds the puzzle firmly in place. One solution to the problem has been to attach adhesive material to the back of the puzzle before inserting it in a frame. A complicated, interlocking storage tray, assembly tray and display tray is available, in which posts distributed about the edge of the puzzle prevent it from moving when assembled for display.
Existing designs do not adequately address the problems associated with the inherent instability of completed puzzles. A design which requires outsized puzzle pieces necessarily limits the number of available puzzles. Adhesive material applied to a puzzle backing renders the puzzle unusable for anything but display. The use of a complicated storage/assembly/display device is cumbersome, and its use of retaining posts does not permit hanging display.